Life As A Cruise Ship Musician

[greendayrocker90]

Very nice playing.

[dr05guitar]

so after you finish your contract...are you able to do it again say later on in the year if you want, or are you excluded from auditioning again for a certain amount of time?

[09sheldog]

how was the audition when you first started?

[MrPotatoheadd]

But how many hours are you obligated to work for?? and what is the pay like??

[dfritz411]

@MrPotatoheadd You can work anywhere between 2 to 5 hours a day usually. Pay generally starts at around $65 to $70 a day in my experience.

[MrPotatoheadd]

@dfritz411 Not bad... I assume you went to college then went on to working in a cruise. Is college even worth it?

[samyevz]

god, you def didnt like doing this. i was thinking bout doing it but after watching this vid i def aint gunu. can i ask if you still play pro or have you given up on all that now?? sam

[LJazzBird]

Hey...I've got one year left at uni then i'm going to attempt to get on the cruise ships..have you got any advise..i play Sax, clarinet, flute, piano and sing :)

[roachjazz3192]

Did you have to set up your drums or did you have help?

[joeblack407]

Not changed much since 1999 when I was on the Vision OTS. Except her crew bar was dry back then. And it was a Canal run. What a LONG contract that was.

[dv8lt9a2]

What do you do during the days?

[dfritz411]

@dv8lt9a2 pretty much whatever you want if you don't have deck sets or something....

[ssips720]

sounds like u hate your job

[dfritz411]

@ssips720 insightful

[ssips720]

@dfritz411 i mean that in the best way possible. the video is very funny tho

[bassguy87564]

Thank you for posting this I was thinking of doing this once im out of college

[lalbruiz]

So your reading skills must be top quality...hmmmm....so that rules out my possibility of doing this...

[klbacrobata]

nice

[DeanIgnacio]

Do you come up with your own parts, write them out, come up with on top of your head etc? or do you play everything that's written out in front of you? Is playing to a metronome required?

[zoots251]

Hey Man, Nice one. Brings it aaalllll back. F*^k. Crew bar? Can't believe sovereign was still goin in '08... I did a short 5 week blast on Monarch and she pretty screwed.

[zoots251]

Hey Man, Nice one. Brings it aaalllll back. F*^k. Crew bar?

[dfritz411]

Yeah, most lines have a string quartet....at least, Holland America does. I'd say it's worth checking in to if you don't mind playing 4 to 5 hours a night.

[jomsvikingur]

nice video. i was offered a position but missed the call from one of the major cruise lines.. That was 6 years ago and i'm interested in applying again. I play piano, drums and violin.. tho i'm exclusively a violinist by profession. I'm curious if you've come across many cruise-ship string players.. I know they're out there, but i'm aware that many companies limit their employment to brass/wind players, pianists, percussionists &/or singers. Any feedback is appreciated :)

[prat3192]

Hey thanks for the vid, do you have any tips for someone like myself who is planning on going to music school and trying to get this type of job? Im 17

[rotcada]

how much is your salary?? coz maybe me and my band are planning to perform in a cruise ship for 6 months. . .

[ArthroneBand]

Hey Daniel, could you tell me any other agency besides Proship and Sumanent that hires international players?

[dfritz411]

perceptive.

[Fizzi99]

@dfritz411 Yo dude how do you apply to be a cruise ship musician?,I'm a drummer too but my reading isn't amazing?

[frizzzzzzal]

you sounds like you really hate your job 

[DannyBerglund]

wow, thanks so much for doing that man.  I'm thinking of taking a cruise gig. the video answered a ton of questions.

[kirkmax99]

Doesn't seem like you enjoy that gig very much...

[meaksam]

hiya, do you go through a cruise ship agent, e.g: proship? I'm a trombonist in England and would really like to work on the ships sometime in my life, i'm only 17 at the moment but am quite a decent player, just wondering if it's worth using the agency?

Thanks, and i like the video!

[dfritz411]

@meaksam Yes, I did go through an agency (not proship, though I know plenty of guys who have). It's a good idea to get your foot in the door.

[HumbertoJazz]

That´s a great video, specially for those, like me, that are interested in cruise gigs. I´ve been stduying a way of becoming a cruise musician, but my reading needs to get better, since I´ve been learning with my earsduring the last 25 years. Anyway, I´m a singer/piano player, mostly keyboards, willing to work in cruises. Bossa Nova, Samba, Jazz and contemporary music is what I love to perform. I would love to work in a band as well, however, I will need some patience from the other fellows.

[HumbertoJazz]

That´s a great video and very helpful too. I´ve been working and studying to get a gig like that Most of my repertoire is Bossa Nova and Jazz. I play and sing contemporary music as well. I have very good ears, that´s how I´ve been learning music during the last 25 years. I love to improvise but I´m still working on my reading. My focus is Piano lounge, although I would love to be in a band, but I don´t think the others would like to share this challenge with me. Thanks for helping us!

[spacitydrummer4JC]

I really appreciate your videos pertaining to playing on a ship. It's really helpful for one who is interested in this field. What is the youngest age you've seen or played with on a cruise? Thank you! - Joe

[teabagsax]

Great vid man -- I worked on Carnivore for almost 4 yrs. you pretty much nail it man. It's a ton of playing, and what you do with it is totally up to you. Tons of time for shedding, and you meet great folks along the way! The comments about reading are for real - you get tons of charts thrown at you right away. But hey - you guys get a jazz set later....

again - nice vid man, good memories

[MatJazz3]

I have done ships for around 10yrs as MD, Keyboard Player and General Musical Prostitute. I just want to say don't drink yourself to death.. let the hoards of crappy arse musicians do that.. save yourself for a better day. You sound as exicted as i am to be on the seven seas.. i like your vid..

[swifthalf]

Thanks for your time and effort. I've played semi pro for many years and this is as honest as it gets. Hope it paid well!

[ReverendNovember]

THis is one of the most depressing things I have ever seen. Emmy nom.

[spacitydrummer4JC]

..how many audition for this?

[dingman94]

Those were quite the fills for St. Thomas!!!

[michaelcurtisjr]

Thanks for the great post!

[PaulNiehausIV]

Thanks for this! I had an audition with Carnival last week for guitar in a showband gig and made it, so I will be leaving in August. This is a great video to give a heads up of what it will be like.

[Solis1112]

Was that St. Thomas in the jazz set clip at the end?

[daleyg75]

Hey man good vid, managed to get myself fired from the Adventure back in '04, thanks for reminding me why!!

[GlenGamble]

Thanks, man...I will be working for a ship band starting in the Fall; I appreciate the info.

p.s. Damien, I dont read charts either...if you get hired by a band, as opposed to a musicla director, it is easier to land a gig.

[Damien6ix]

Do you think a non-reading guy can get a gig onboard a cruise ship? Off course not as part of the band or big band but in a lounge or something. I did bartending on DCL, one of the worst gig I've ever had as a bartender. Thanks !!

[dfritz411]

That might be kind of tough. Usually the guys who can't read are the local guys (like Jamaicans or something) who get hired as a band to play their cultural music on the ship. Aside from the main band, we had a latin band (literally consisting of guys from South American countries), and a calypso band (with guys from island countries). They're typical lounge acts. Although, we did have a few piano and guitar players who did lounge stuff.....not sure they were great readers. Guess it depends....

[Damien6ix]

Ok, I got a reply to send a promo kit so I just wanted to know if I should even bother. I play guitar but I cannot read like you guys. I'm based in Europe and I do remember the Jamaican band playing onboard didn´t seem like they came out of Berkeley. Thanks for the reply!

[dfritz411]

You have to be a pretty solid reader to survive this gig.

[yturyeh]

Hi, i play the bass and I'm interested in doing a cruise but I'm not sure about the level of reading. I have allot of reading experience playing shows to click and currently I am reading in an big band. Do you have the opportunity to rehears before the show, or see the music during the day before a rehearsal to be able to practise? I can read fine but it's the sight reading part I'm not sure about. The shows I have played I doubt I could sight read them perfectly first time.

[dfritz411]

Generally, for guest entertainer shows we get about an hour to rehearse before the show. In other words, you're pretty much reading it down at the rehearsal and the show. I can't stress enough how important it is to be a solid reader on this gig. It's one of my weak points, I admit. But I feel like I've made improvements since being forced to constantly step up and make it happen. Hope that helps!

[yturyeh]

Thanks for the reply. I think i'm gonna audition as I have backed guest entertainers in a hotel before, It was more the shows I was worried about sight reading. Thanks and all the best.

[YELLOWTOAD]

Is Bobby DiGiacomo still MD?  (I'm an old friend from way back...)

[dfritz411]

Actually Bob was MD when I was there, and then quit ship life for good (or so he says) in December of 2008.

[1968zotduck]

Hey Matt... I have an audition next week as well. Best of luck to you!!!

Very helpful video.

[mattnmubba]

Hey man, VERY helpful video. I've got a phone audition with Royal Caribbean next week. I was wondering if you had any audition pointers. Looks like a lot of fun, though.

[dfritz411]

Thanks! Good luck on your audition. I checked out your cirque audition, and you'll be fine. Basically, you just need to be a pretty strong reader and know your basic styles (make sure you're good on traditional bossa, samba, tango, waltz, cha-cha). I think ships are a rite of passage for any serious musician, so have fun and soak it in.

[Solis1112]

Hey, thanks for the video. I have a couple questions though. How much time did you guys have for practice before playing a gig? And, how often did the sax players have to double up on the clarinet of flute? I've been thinking about auditioning for a while now.

[dfritz411]

Usually very little time was allowed to rehearse before each show, so good sight-reading is a must. Although, after a while, we played the same things over and over. It's just that initially, musicians aren't given much time to rehearse. For guest performers, we'd have to learn their show in about an hour before playing it live....so I guess it kind of depends. And our sax player doubled on clarinet or flute quite a bit (again, especially for guest performers for some reason).

[thaijaybird]

Nice video. I was on the Rhapsody filling in for the drummer that was on vacation. We did 7 and 14 day cruises. It was fun playing but there was too much down time. We drank our ass' off also. I guess thats what musicians do.

[jamie7v]

This is what I would love to do once I finish college! I have to really practice my sight reading first though :D

Nice video....

[sae2k]

Nice! I worked on the Sovereign in '07 as a dancer, so I think I feel the same general pains as you (ie. Dancin' Thru The Movies/Voyage to Adventure..) Was there a trumpet player MD when you were there?

[dfritz411]

Trumpet player MD? Are you talking about Dustin maybe? The trumpet player MD (Dustin I believe) was on vacation during my contract, so the bass player (Bob DiGiacomo) was the MD. Very cool that you were on the same ship though.....the Sovereign is now with Pullmantur Cruise Line now. There are definitely things about it (surprisingly) that I miss.

[sae2k]

Yep, I was talking about Dustin. That's too bad he wasn't around - he's a great guy. I have to say I was sad the day it was sold too.. If I hadn't have been on another contract, I probably would have gone back during one of their last cruises just to visit. But never to work! Haha.

[barnacle77]

That was a good video. I'll have to show it to some friends that are interested in doing that gig. I liked your comment on drinking yourself to death after the gig. Been there!

[dfritz411]

Thanks, I appreciate that

[kingfreeze]

Enoyed your video, I worked RCCL as a showband guitarist 2000-2003. Moved on to Carnival, and finally, holland america. My first contract we had a full horn section, I noticed they have downsized. The first chair cut was bari sax........

[1JEFFGEE1]

This is a great video. educational and entertaining. I like it